Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi dismissed Wednesday growing calls from the opposition camp for Kosuke Hori, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, to be sacked for his responsibility for the Niigata police sandal.
During the weekly one-on-one debate session with the leaders of opposition parties, Obuchi said that Hori, also the home affairs minister, should stay on to "fulfill his duty" by improving the functioning of the commission and regaining public trust in the nation's police organization.
"I don't think dismissing the chairman will solve everything," Obuchi said.